The Eco-Restoration and Climate Action (ERCA) Poject has its focus to restore 15 hectares of degraded forest in Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU), Awka, Nigeria. This forest land has been deforested and degraded from both nature and anthropogenic activities of man.

The goal is to bring back the degraded landscape, contribute to the biological richness in the area, contribute to Nigeria’s National Determined Contribution (NDC) to improve forest management and forest restoration with a combined mitigation potential of 89Mt CO2e/year, and contribute to promoting meaningful participation of youth in ecosystem restoration of Nigeria NDCs Awareness and Advocacy key project area. The project has three components:

1. Establishment and nursing of 6000 indigenous forest seedlings.
2. Restoration of 15 hectares of NAU degraded forest.
3. Capacity Building of Stakeholders in Ecosystem Restoration.

Establishment of Project Tree-Nursery
We raised 6000 seedlings of Annona muricata (Soursop), Treculia africana (Ukwa), Dacryodes edulus (pear), Gambeya albida (African star apple), Pentaclethra macrophylla (Ukpaka), Cola nitida/acuminata (kola), and Irvingia Gabonensis/ wombulu (Ogbono).

Capacity Building of Project Community
To make the project community well versed with the restoration and conservation techniques, we trained them on these topics of Tree Nursery Establishment, Natural restoration techniques, Plantation and protection, Climate Change adaptation, Monitoring and mapping techniques, Forest Information System (FIS). These workshops were customized for the students and bio-resources conservation monitors/forest guards to successfully implement the project plans effectively and sustainably manage the project.